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Best “hang and hunt” setup

Curious what you guys use and why? Going to be investing in a set.. thanks

Lone Wolf Alpha and 4 LW sticks. I’ve had them over 10 years and no complaints. Relatively lightweight, quiet, solid in the tree and quick to set up.

I use a lone wolf assault 2 and xop sticks. Thought about switching to the lw sticks but I really like my xop’s.

I believe I have found the best for me. I use a set of 4 20" Hawk Helium sticks and a 20" Knaider plus a Chippewa Wedge Loc treestand as a platform. I also use a tethryd saddle. I do this as I can set up quickly and after hanging in the saddle for a while I can loosen my tether and turn and actually sit in my stand. I do this to eat lunch or just take a break from sitting in the saddle. I have gotten to the point where if I am in a hurry i can pick a tree and be up and hunting in about 10 minutes. I normally take my time and I am still set up in less than 15 minutes. I never really cared for saddle hunting but once I switched to the saddle with an actual tiny treestand instead of a platform i really liked using one!! Shawn

Saddle with a platform of my own design. I used 4 wild edge stepps with a knaider/swaider this year but will be switching to ultra lightweight Tethrd One sticks when they come out soon.

LW Assault hand climber 14.7#

Saddle and 3 sticks. Or a LW or XOP stand if you’re a stand guy. I’ve only done hang and hunts for about 12 years now

This was my first year of trying to be mobile. The whole thing has been heavier and more hassle than I hear it being presented as. I tried a lone wolf hand climber. This is lightest, but I struggled with tree selection in the dark in unfamiliar areas. I tried an Xop vanish which I really liked, but ended up leaving it hung in one tree most of the year. I tried the lone wolf Alfa, it was a little heavier than the xop, but very similar for ease and quality. For sticks I tried lone wolf, and hawk (both the shorter and longer version). When being mobile I preferred two lone wolf and a shorter (20”?) hawk stick. I used an aider on the bottom lone wolf, then a hawk, then another lone wolf. It’s nice to have a step out each side (hawk) for hanging the stand so your feet are on the same level. I don’t like being really high so that combo worked for me and cut down a bit on weight. I picked up a couple cheap used packs and canabalized the shoulder straps and hip belts. Going a half mile was still a hassle and not comfortable. I strapped my day pack to the treestand and always carry too much stuff. I never weighed the whole setup, but should have. I left the longer hawk sticks in the tree with the xop, so didn’t get to tote them around much, but they seem bulky and heavy. I was debating a saddle, but didn’t want to drop that much money without experimenting first and don’t know anyone who uses one to borrow or play around with. I got two of my three deer from the ground this year. There are so many advantages to being in a tree, but it’s limiting as well.

I use an Alpha and 4 LW sticks. It weighs 24 pounds. My fanny pack probably is close to 8 or 10 pounds. Add heavy clothes and you get the picture. You're hauling a lot of weight. This is why I work out to stay in shape. So I can climb those big IA hills when I get drawn. I'm 57 and I can still do it fine. I did buy a LW Hand climber and it is awesome. I'll be using it more and more in the future.

I have been using the Lone wolf assault on a loc on Windwalker for several years with lone wolf sticks. They both have treated me well. With that said I just purchased the new LWCG .5 with a set of 4 Beast Sticks. Once I get them covered with stealth tape and do my mods to them I think it will make me even better. I think hang hunts where a guy moves around a bunch dead silence is the more important detail than anything. If you can get set up close to bedding without being detected your always in the game.

Tetherd Mantis and wild edge steps for me. I’m looking at possibly trying the Tx5 custom saddle and one stick method for next year. I like what I’m doing now, but interested in cutting more weight. It’s not super light, but it’s so much smaller than a climber.

Shiloh, I'm interested in trying the one stick method as well. I thought it would be a pain and too slow getting back down but now seeing the option of rappelling down has piqued my interest. Something else to play with this Spring!

I will also be making more platforms this Winter so I can have several spots set up already. I will always have a platform in my pack to have the option of moving and being mobile but having spots already set up would be nice, too.

The guys I’m seeing do it are using the top of their stick as a platform. One thing I’m gonna add to my pack is a pad of some sort. I’m a big guy so repelling makes me a little nervous at first, but so did the saddle. Kind of odd leaning out away from the tree!!

I’ll be trying a saddle next year as I just haven’t gotten into it just because I’ve been shooting stickbows, but now that I’m fooling around with a compound again, I think makes a lot of sense. Midwest, that was a great video, and very intriguing.

For a mobile stand setup, I have both Lone Wolf Alpha and Assault but I just love my Assault with 3 LW sticks. I’m not a big guy (5’10”, 180) so maybe that’s why but the Alpha does seem to catch more twigs walking thought bush and I just find it an annoyance. This year I took the seat off my Alpha and put in on my Assault and I think that’s the ultimate. I don’t need a huge platform but a big seat makes a lot of sense. It also gives you more wiggle room when a crooked tree is forcing your butt off the seat. All day sits are very comfy.

One other thing I did this year was, if I did a rattling sequence, I got down out of the tree and made a heck of a racket crushing trees etc about 30-60 yards upwind, while rattling, noises probably being 70% racket, 30% rattling, and I was extremely successful. More often than not I had stuff coming in. So I think if that’s part of the plan, I’ll need to leave the saddle at home that day if I were to use that “one stick method,” and go back to the Lone Wolf

I have 2 sets ups I use. The first set up is a lone wolf with 4 lone wolf sticks.

The other is a Tethrd Phantom Sadie, Predator platform and 4 beast sticks.

I messed around with Aiders and such this year. I even cut down a couple LW sticks wish I wish I hadn’t.

At the end of the day what are the advantages to one stick methods aiders etc? Weight on the pack in. That’s it. All these methods are louder, more difficult, and most importantly noisier and slower than just using the proper number of sticks IMO. For the distances I walk up to half mile to hunt deer and with the pack I have I honestly don’t even notice the added 3lbs of two more sticks. It’s safe, easy, and quiet.

I have bought Milenium stands and hawk helium steps. I keep coming back to my Port a climb treestand built here in Charlotte. If I can find a semi straight tree then I will be up and hunting in minutes. When limbsaver came out with their spray on application I soaked this treestand with it. I know this product did not get good reviews but my stand is still super quiet. In NC and Virginia I usually dont have too much problem with crooked trees.If I hang a stand then its usually done in August before the season even starts.

M.Pauls, the guy in the video I posted hunts strictly stick bow. Compound not required for saddle hunting.

"At the end of the day what are the advantages to one stick methods aiders etc?"

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Adam, weight AND compactness. I hate having crap strapped to my back that's snagging on trees and brush. If I never had to walk in more than a half mile, I wouldn't worry about it, either. BUT, I do much prefer climbing a set of sticks.

I'm still looking for that perfect combination but there's nothing that says you have to commit to one method. If you have a long walk or are scout/hunting a new area, go with the minimalist approach. If you have a short walk to an established spot, take the big stand and full set of sticks. It's great to have options.

Lone Wolf Assault, 4 Lone Wolf sticks and a 2 rung aider. My aider is homemade and weighs next to nothing. I added a backpack hip belt to my Assault and it makes a big difference. I also hang my daypack on my stand and the load gets fairly heavy but after spending most of September elk hunting and hiking up mountains with a pack on I'm in pretty good shape so packing a treestand a mile or so isn't bad. I use an ATV cargo net on my stands to help hold my daypack and extra clothes and keep stuff from getting caught on brush.

My set ups are older API hang-on (USA made) AL50 & AL100 mag with 20' (4-4') API quick sticks, been using these for the last 20+yrs. New this year, Summit Open Shot climber, with tweaks to make it quieter, really liking the mobility of the climber. May look into getting a LW climber this next year.

Bingham or Geko leg irons, body harness and dual lineman belts. Pretty much climb any tree I can get my arms around, branches or no branches.

My set up this year has been my all time favorite for H&H hunting. Aero Flex saddle, predator platform with 3 bull man steps (around at same level as platform). I cut 4 LW sticks down, installed double steps on top and bottom and added 20” cable aiders to the bottom. Get to 22-23’ pretty easily with minimal weight. I wear the saddle while walking in, the platform rides in a pack at my shoulder blades, sticks are gear tied to the pack. ROS, lineman’s and tether ride in my pouches on my saddle.

My set up this year has been my all time favorite for H&H hunting. Aero Flex saddle, predator platform with 3 bull man steps (around at same level as platform). I cut 4 LW sticks down, installed double steps on top and bottom and added 20” cable aiders to the bottom. Get to 22-23’ pretty easily with minimal weight. I wear the saddle while walking in, the platform rides in a pack at my shoulder blades, sticks are gear tied to the pack. ROS, lineman’s and tether ride in my pouches on my saddle.

My set up is an XOP Vanish stand with Hawk Helium sticks. Works for me.

loc on limit with backpack straps and 6-8 strap on plastic steps in a fanny pack.

3 Hawk helium’s cut to 21 inches. Two step rope aiders similar to Mike’s on the bottom of each step. Each step is 56” long counting aider. I easily get to 18-19’. Can get another 2’ or so by stretching the steps more and stepping up onto my platform.

The platform is a podium made by out on a limb. Saddle is a mantis with one sys hauler. I use awp knee pads.

No complaints here. The only thing I’ll do different next year is an amsteel mod for the platform. And, I’m going to make up 4-5 platforms out of 3/4 plywood and some wild edge steps I have. To preset.

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